The Football Managing Mercenary

[DerbyJack]

Fingers very firmly crossed Neavie!

Cheers Joe!

Starting to think flat 4-4-2 might not have been the best idea. Thanks Dan!

---

February 2018

3rd February 2018
FA Trophy - 3rd Rnd

With the FA Trophy essentially being the only thing that has gone remotely well in my time at FC United, our extra-time exit from the competition now leaves me staring down the barrel of the gun with very little to argue my case with. As we head back into League action I can only hope the boys don't let me down...


10th February 2018
National League North

Well that was unnecessarily close. Having cruised into a commanding lead it seemed we were set for a much needed three points without much of a fight back from a sorry looking Chorley. A worryingly tight second half however soon had me on the edge of my seat as we cling on to victory. Six down. Eight to go.


17th February 2018
National League North

A horror-show started our home tie against Stockport as we were brutally back handed back into trouble as the Hatters eased into a Three goal lead before the Fifty minute mark. A thankfully resurgent team did their utmost to fightback but despite a late life-line it was too prove too little too late. Surely they wont let me down again in the all important final game...


20th February 2018
National League North

...well. I'll just pack my bags.

An early goal from Steve Irwin gave me a brief glimmer of home before the squad imploded in style allowing Telford to cruise to a convincing four goal victory with the Stags fittingly rubbing salt into the wound with two injury time goals.

Maybe they'll be mercifully upon my young footballing career...

...Or maybe not.


February 2018
National League North

I leave the club sitting just one place beyond their predicted mid-table finish. Non the less an ambitious board apparently have no room for mediocrity, ending their managerial experiment early as they look to make a late push back into the promotion race...Bastards.

Just half a season into my career and I've already been sacked. This might just be a new low for me.

It's a talent. Of sorts.

Non League Football...it's ****** brutal.


​

 

[Sammuthegreat]

What a bunch of total wankers.

 

[DerbyJack]

My thoughts exactly Sam!

---

Well that was... disappointing.

Battered. Bruised. Deflated.

My Ego is in tatters.

My career gets off to a nightmare start as my first stint in charge of a club ends in humiliating fashion as I am sent packing from FC United of Manchester.

With my CV now somehow actually worse then before, there's plenty of time to look back at what could have been...


2017/18
National League North

A brief glimpse over the last three months pretty much tells the entire story.
A disastrous run of form wiped out all memory of the fantastic start I made to this season as a very brief flirtation with the top spot soon saw me spiraling back down the table and into mid-table obscurity.

You're welcome FC United.

_______


With just half season almost under my belt, I've pretty much made the worst possible start to my career.


With no time to waste and my career in desperate need of some rejuvenation I fling myself upon the Managerial merry-go-round that is thankfully in full swing at this stage of the season.

Well at least things can only get better?


​

 

[DerbyJack]

With my reputation seemingly in tatters and a fledgling career that deserves to be cast aside on to the managerial scrap-heap I set about cautiously sending my CV out to any clubs desperate enough to bring me aboard.

Incredibly it seems Lower League chairman have absolutely no standards...

With my name in the running for no-less then three jobs my disastrous start to my career has suddenly been completely forgotten.

With a slight hint of desperation and faint sense that none of these Chairmen have checked out my credentials I hurriedly attend every interview and cross my fingers for an instant return to Football Management.

I wasn't disappointed...

...I'm off to London!

It might not quite be up there with the likes of Arsenal or Chelsea but for a Young manager, down on his luck and with one sacking already to his name, Welling United might just as well be.

Incredibly, despite taking an instant hit to my standing I have ended up coming out with double the wages.

I should get sacked more often.

With my bank-account poised and ready to welcome my sky-rocketing wages, a quick glance at the clubs current standing gave me even more reason to celebrate my recent dismissal...

From mid-table obscurity to the heat of the play-off race.

With Welling sacking their former manager despite being within touching distance of Promotion it's clear, that once again I'm going to have to aim high to ensure a future in the Capital.

With the season drawing rapidly to a close, I arrive in Welling with the objective on ensuring The Wings secure their play-off spot.

They might want play-offs but I'm aiming for the title.

Its time to restore some pride in the club and more importantly myself.


​

 

[BallyC7]

Good luck mate....what a turnaround it will be if you could make a final push and secure promotion with Welling this season!

 

[DerbyJack]

Cheers Bally, my fortunes have definitely taken a dramatic turn for the better!

---

With the season barreling straight towards its grand finale, there isn't much time for me to get my hands on the Welling Squad but a quick glance over the first-team squad leaves me wondering just one thing...

...Where is everyone?

A first-team squad of just eighteen players is hardly the smallest of squads but when six of those men are on loan, it leaves me with just Twelve men to build a future squad from.

Should I survive this season, I might be in for a busy transfer-window.

Non the less, despite being surprisingly thin on the ground, we still have some real talent at our disposal...

Nigerian midfielder Olumide Durojaiye provides some core strength to the Welling midfield. With the squad setting itself up for an attacking 4-2-4 formation, his ability to win back the ball in the middle of the field could prove invaluable as I look to keep Welling pushing their way forward to goal.

Experienced midfielder Joe Healy will lead the club from the middle of the pitch. Solid team-work, strong play-making abilities and the qualities that could make him run the show at this level ensure that Healy will have a huge hand in the outcome of my season.



With a fast paced attacking formation taking shape, The Wings squad is going to be hard-pressed to keep up with the frantic pace that is part and parcel of the end of season run-in.

So am I...


​

 

[DerbyJack]

March 2018

17th March 2018
National League South

My first game at the helm of promotion chasing Welling ends in dramatic style as a lackluster stalemate is brought to life just moments before the final whistle as substitute Jack Jebb rifles home a thirty yard effort to steal all three points and get off to the perfect start.


24th March 2018
National League South

My perfect start is almost instantly erased as we are held by high-flying Hungerford. Another life-less performance was missing the heroics of Jebb as we crawl to a disappointing point, with both sides barely registering any meaningful chances on goal throughout the entire ninety minutes.


30th March 2018
National League South

My attacking formation isn't exactly reaping the rewards I expected. Striker Jack Parkinson tucked home a shot just before the break but despite having Bath rattled at the mid-way point, they rallied well to control the majority of the second half and deservedly take a share of the spoils.


March 2018
National League South

Despite my first foray into life with Welling and the National League South starting unbeaten, I still manage to see the club drop one spot further as the race for the play-off spots looks set to go down to the wire. At least the Welling faithful now know what they can expect from my time at the helm.



​

 

[DerbyJack]

April 2018
​

2nd April 2018
National League South

With just one victory to my name in my first month in charge of a club many tipped to cruise to promotion, I now already stumble my way into a disappointing defeat at the hands of Promotion chasing Hampton & Richmond. Just Four games in and I'm already dubious that I'm going to be in the Capital for long...


7th April 2018
National League South

...No need to pack the bags just yet. Already emerging as one of the more reliable performers in the team, Jack Parkinson leaves it late to open the scoring as my second victory once again comes in dramatic fashion. I think I'm going to be going incredibly gray by the end of my time here.


14th April 2018
National League South

Despite once again scoring a goal with just seconds left on the clock, it proves to be too little to late as Whitehawk's impressive four goal haul proves to be too much to overthrow for my small squad. Having previously upheld a rather strong back-line, the emergence of a leaky defence is not what I want to see before a potential play-off battle.


21st April 2018
National League South

To their credit the boys bounce back in impressive style as an efficient first-half results in a deserved two goal lead that my previously maligned defence held until the final whistle. Impressive winger, Richards needed just four minutes to break the deadlock with Albanian striker, Flo Bojaj scoring his second in as many games.

28th April 2018
National League South

With the play-off spot in the bag, the boys round off the season in style as Bojaj continues his scintillating run of form to single-handedly smash his way through Chippenham. With our lead striker showing a lethal touch, hopes are high that he carries it into the all important play-offs.


April 2018
National League South

Having drawn and lost to two of our fellow promotion contenders in the previous two months, I'm not exactly heading into them brimming with confidence but with Bojaj's lethal right foot and a large dose of luck we might just be able to make something of it.

Non-League football owe's me a fairy-tale promotion!

​

 

[DerbyJack]

May 2018​

2nd May 2018
National League South - Playoff 1st Rnd

The dream lives on....just. Another tight game of football comes right down to the final moments, as we narrowly see off St Albans courtesy of Richards effort seconds from the final whistle as he drives it home from the left flank. I might not have deserved it, worked for it or indeed shown any intent at reaching it but my promotion dream is on!


May 2018

5th May 2018
National League South - Playoff Semi Final

....and it's gone. Probably earlier then the fans, board and players would have liked but my brief flirtation with Promotion via the play-offs is over. Chelmsford deservedly secure their place in the final as they dominate the majority of play with a Jack Parkinson effort being our only brief glimmer of hope for a place in the National League next season.


May 2018
National League South

The season ends with the club sitting solidly in the middle of the play-off spots as we can only sit back and watch as fresh from knocking us out, Chelmsford go on to book their place in the League above with another convincing victory in the final.

For myself I will merely be trying to erase the early part of my footballing career and solely concentrate on the fact we finished fifth.

And that's all that matters. Not that I have already been sacked...and the club I moved to was predicted to win the League with ease. Move along.


​

 

[brooksey84]

Favourite story last year looking forward to more interest concept may try it down the line!

 

[DerbyJack]

Thanks very much Brooksey, hopefully I wont kill my desire to play by ending up in the MLS like last year!

---

So an eventful season has come to an end.

I managed six months in one job before being turfed out in mid-table, thrown back into the pile and then emerging back out like a glorious footballing butterfly with double the wages and at the top end of the table.

Jealous Jose?

Pep Guardiola	Jose Mourinhio	Massimiliano Allegri
Manchester City	Manchester United	Juventus
£300,000 per week	£250,000 per week	£230,000 per week

Probably not.

No Change at the top of the earnings as all three men hold on to their precarious positions at the top of the table.

Pep managed to finish up runner up no less then three times as Jose guided his Red Devils to a horde of domestic silverware at his expense, whilst Allegri easily guided the Old Lady to another dominant year in Italy.
Meanwhile, I got sacked and lost a play-off final to Chelmsford... Not quite on the same level. Yet.​

Derby Jack

Welling United

£400 per week

Four hundred pounds per week. To give you a better comparison this is about £18,000 a year. Pep probably doesn't need to be worrying quite yet.

I'm £299,600 a week behind the City Manager after my first season in the game, a depressingly high figure but non the less this is still progress....

With a Welling side still tipped for the top at my disposal next season, a strong push to the top could do wonders for my earnings!


​

 

[DerbyJack]

With the board still very much aiming for the top spot, I head into my first transfer window at the helm of Welling, knowing full well that I somehow need to pull almost an entire new squad together, all of whom will play a crucial role in the all important season to come.

Before I set about making the most of the clubs lowly wage budget, I still manage to clear some space from the squads small books.

Just one actual transfer this season as David Moli ends his time of wallowing in the reserves to grab a surprising transfer to Polish side Widzew Lodz. Each to their own.

Joining David out of the door but not quite jumping at the opportunity of football in Eastern Europe are four of his fellow reserves and most surprisingly, Nigerian midfield general, Olumide Durojaiye as all five see out the end of their contracts.

The former key-player was set to play a crucial role in my future plans but with wage demands over a grand and eyes on making it at a higher level, he opts to take his chances else-where. Good riddance!

With the loanees departing and the squad now barely big enough to field an entire first-team eleven, I waste little time in rebuilding the squad by scooping up no fewer then nine signings from the bargain basement of English football.

​

From: Out of Contract
Cost: Free

Wasting very little time, the club moves quickly to snap up Irish striker, Barry Corr. The Thirty-Three year old arrives with a proven track record in the lofty heights of League Two and hopes are high that the experienced finisher can help Welling take their own strides towards the Football League.

From: Out of Contract
Cost: Free

With the entire defence in dire need of strengthening, Osei-Tutu arrives having been released from fellow Londoners, Arsenal. Having never made an impact with the Gunners, Jordi looks to settle in the bottom level of the footballing ladder, with a key-spot on the right side of the back-line.

From: Out of Contract
Cost: Free

Continuing the trend of signing young promising defenders from fellow London clubs, we this time bring in centre-back Jerome Opoku. Having learned his trade with Fulham, the lofty teenager will be looking to develop his burgeoning career with The Wings.

From: Out of Contract
Cost: Free

True to form it is this time Watford that provide us with one of their off-casts as we bring in Portuguese defender, Marian Huja. With the Nineteen Year Old already proving to be head and shoulders above his fellow defensive team-mates his strong technical ability will see him slot straight into the backline.

​

From: Out of Contract
Cost: Free

Arriving alongside Huja, comes his former team-mate Connor Stevens. Despite not being as able as our new defensive stalwart, Stevens will certainly be able to to provide us with some much needed depth. With a long season ahead of us, he is sure to be called upon at some point this season.

​

From: Out of Contract
Cost: Free

The third former Hornet arrives in the shape of pacey young winger, Harry Forster. With fellow wide-man Tom Richards already occupying the spot on the wing, Harry will be keen to challenge his new compatriot for a starting spot as we head towards the start of the season. Definitely one for the future.

From: Out of Contract
Cost: Free

With Albanian stopper, Perntreou well entrenched within the sticks at Park View Road, Aussie keeper, Dominic Kurasik will have to quickly get used to place on the bench for the forth coming season but at just Twenty-One he certainly could well become Welling's future number one.

From: Out of Contract
Cost: Free

Having extended the loan-deal of Sam Osbourne to the end of the season, I also bring in Congolese winger Beryly Lubala to provide competition down a problematic Right-flank. With a decent turn of speed and the potential to develop into a fine winfer in the future, Lubala is another promising addition to the team.

From: Out of Contract
Cost: Free

The final arrival of an incredibly busy window see's me plug the final gap in my defensive players as I snap up Irish left-back Dominic Bernard. A frustrating spell with Birmingham saw him never manage to break into the first-team but he will certainly be looking to nail down a run in the starting line up in the Capital.



With an entire first-team essentially brought in this window, the season rapidly approaching, a board determined to secure promotion and a host of teenagers now milling around Welling, I best get busy in forging these boys together into a force that could dominate this league.

Simple Enough...​

 

[Brane_Orsou]

Good to see you land on your feet and get another job. I'm sure next season will see you do big things

 

[dani3w]

Gutting you were sacked so early into your first post. But hopefully the welling job suits you better, unlucky in the playoffs though!

 

[TheBattman]

So happy this is back, will be following keenly as ever! I'm sure you'll walk the league this season and have a job in the big time imminently....

 

[DerbyJack]

Fingers crossed Neavie! Thanks!

Hopefully my time with Welling might actually see me get off the ground! Cheers Dan.

Thanks alot Battman, I'm ever hopeful...just need to develop some kind of talent in the meantime.​

---

Preseason 2018

21st July 2018
Friendly

First game a rather eye-opening preseason see's The Wings easily dismissed by the football league yo-yo club, Barnet. An initially tight game between the two clubs gave me a brief hope that we might hold some dignity until the final whistle but after thirty minutes the flood-gates opened as my make-shift squad collapsed in style.


28th July 2018
Friendly

The boys clawed back a degree of pride as they cruised their way past Thamesmead to a comfortable three goal victory. Bojaj who ended the season so brightly, showed some promising signs that his fine-form might hopefully be with us straight from the get-go as we look to secure a place in the promotion spots as soon as possible.


1st August 2018
Friendly

Another high scoring game see's the boys at least give Bury a ****** nose on their way to securing the win. Scottish striker Chris Maguire smacked a clinical hat-trick past Perntreou as the attacking 4-2-4 formation quickly highlighted just how reliant we are on outscoring our opponents, in style of football a-kin to Keegan's finest...


6th August 2018
Friendly

...However it doesn't exactly bode well for when we play teams that are legitimately better then us. A rampant Charlton took our team to pieces with ease as they sweeped home a humiliating seven goals, with only a first goal for Lubala giving the fans something very briefly to cheer about on their way to a bruising defeat.

_______


Usually I don't pay much attention to the preseason. This year Charlton made it hard not to.

With the club still very much set up for our attacking formation, this season is going to test our reformed defence to its limits.

If nothing else it should at least be entertaining?


​

 

[DerbyJack]

August 2018
​

11th August 2018
National League South

Well that did not quite go to plan. The formation delivers the expected results as both teams find the net with ease. Having commanded a two goal lead by the break I was hopeful we would make an instant arrival at the top of the table until a woeful second half was capped by a goal just three minutes from time gifting Chippenham the victory.


14th August 2018
National League South

That's more like it. Having this time been on the other end of a two goal deficit at half time, the boys responded magnificently as experienced duo Healy and Parkinson showcased their worth to the team as they both combined to guide the club back to the points and get us off the mark and back into the top half of the table.


18th August 2018
National League South

The Wings make it back to back victories at they narrowly edge a tight game against Weston-Super-Mare. The strike partnership of Bojaj and Parkinson hopefully show signs of what is to come for the season ahead as they each grab a goal to secure the lead and keep a determined Weston at bay.


25th August 2018
National League South

Also tipped for the top, Bath gave us a scare just three minutes into the game as they score within just three minutes of the game. To their credit the boys responded well as they once again ****** the victory as the only experienced defender in the team, Simon Francis, raises highest from a corner to set us on our way for out third victory.


28th August 2018
National League South

Our winning streak comes to a dramatic end as we play out a crowd pleasing four all draw against recently relegated Maidenhead. Former Hammer, Korey Henry showcases his true potential to his new team as he almost single handedly guides Maindenhead to victory. A resilient showing from the boys ensures he doesn't quite get the reward his performance deserves.


August 2018
National League South

A strong and high scoring start to the season see's The Wings end their first month on the fringes of the play-off spots. With the board expecting nothing but automatic promotion and the title this season, it's going to take even more then a three game run of victories to keep me in the job.

​

 

[DerbyJack]

September 2018

From: Out of Contract
Cost: Free

​

With a minor injury to Flo Bojaj reducing me down to just two first-team strikers, we make a late signing to bring in Jamaican youngster, Ahkeem Rose. The Nineteen Year Old is blessed with natural pace and the ability to find the net when needed. With a long season ahead the former Grimbsy prodigy will almost certainly make an impact this season.

_______

1st September 2018
National League South

Barry Corr marks his first start for the club with a fine solo effort to get us off the mark against Braintree but some rather hap-hazard defending ensures it is not enough to secure all three points. I'm struggling to get our teenage defence to gel as a unit thus far.


8th September 2018
National League South

That's a bit of a kick in the teeth. With Bojaj sidelined the goals have seemingly started to dry up as we are humbled by an early goal from Havant & Waterloovile. It took just seven minutes for the home club to find the back of the net with some sturdy defending ensuring they hold the lead for another Eighty. I'm not jealous.


8th September 2018
National League South

The club is unable to bounce back from its second defeat of the season as we are once again left frustrated in front of goal. Having gone behind to a well-worked Whitehawk effort, the boys threw everything they had to try and overturn the goal with a Parkinson effort just before the break, their only reward.


15th September 2018
National League South

Despite not ending up on the winning side in the previous game it seems the goal has fired up defensive forward Jack Parkinson as he follows up his last effort with a well worked brace. The boys nearly threw away his hard worked efforts but a late red card ended any hopes Oxford had of reclaiming any points.


22nd September 2018
FA Cup - 2nd Qual. Rnd

He just keeps getting better. Our first ventures into the FA Cup see Parkinson continue his excellent run of form with a well worked hat-trick that helped see off non-league Ashford. The sorry looking minnows looked to be set for a minor upset with the first goal of the game but our in-form finisher soon squashed any danger of an early exit....Unlike the rest of the county.

29th September 2018
National League South

Having progressively added to his number of goals in each game, Parkinson's free-scoring shows signs of finally slowing down as he only needs just one to see of St. Albans and maintain the clubs winning ways. Bojaj might have disappeared from the score-sheet but Parkinson is more then filling his boots.


September 2018
National League South

With our second defeat of the season under our belts the boys fall out of the playoff spots and disastrously towards mid-table. With the board already casting a scathing eye in my direction I can take some solace in the fact that we still have one game in hand over our the rest of the teams in the division.


​

 

[1magine]

Happy to see this return again DerbyJack. Hoping you can manage to achieve your ultimate goal of becoming the highest paid! Starting where you have I feel like it is impossible but would love it if you could do it, absolutely love it.

 

[DerbyJack]

Thanks very much 1magine. I wish I could be as inspiring as that amazing Keegan speech! Unfortunately I tend to skip that part and aim straight for the humiliation at the end of it! Thanks again!

​

---

October 2018

2nd October 2018
National League South

Two losses on the bounce has me already nervously trying to avoid the board for the foreseeable future. East Thurrock dominated the entire first half, essentially killing off the game before the break with the club eventually responding having already gone four goals down. Too little, too late.


6th October 2018
FA Cup - 3rd Qual. Rnd

Fellow National League South side, greet us in the next round of the FA Cup and it seems that the struggling visitors made the decision not to show up for the Third Qualifying Round as they are eventually dispatched with ease as Bojaj finally announces his long awaited return to the score-sheet alongside fellow stalwarts, Parkinson and Healy.


9th October 2018
National League South

Despite sacrificing any hopes of a cup run, Hemel Hempstead still fail to add to their lowly points total as we run out the victors courtesy of Richards effort from the right wing. It might not quite be the five goal drubbing that sent them packing from the Cup but right now I'm just happy to return to winning ways.


13th October 2018
National League South

The raider will be pleased as his Wealdstone boys are looking odds on to enjoy a successful season this time around, however a dominant opening Twenty Five minutes ensured the early front-runners would not be able to set their sights firmly on promotion just yet, for the Wings however we're finally emerging back as contenders.


20th October 2018
FA Cup - 4th Qual. Rnd

Another National League South side stands between us a potential money spinning step into the first round of the FA Cup itself in the shape of a determined Whitehawk. Having just drawn with them in the previous month following a tight game, it was another nervy affair with the boys pegged back twice to force an unneeded replay.


24th October 2018
FA Cup - 4th Qual. Rnd Replay

It seems we are incapable of finding any distance between ourselves and our League rivals. Richards once again finds the back of the net following some neat work down the flank but another Whitehawk equaliser once again ensured we would reach the end of ninety minutes sharing the spoils. Eventually it was only the lottery of penalties that could split the two teams.


27th October 2018
National League South

Back to League action and we pick up our third victory in a row as we pick up a fortunate victory over Dover. A ding-dong battle between the two teams saw both teams find the back of the net but a calamitous own goal in the Port town handed us the points on a platter. Very generous from our play-off hunting rivals.


30th October 2018
National League South

The winning streak comes to an end as we are held by Gosport. Struggling away towards the foot of the table Gosport nearly picked up an unexpected away victory until our veteran Irish finisher made a welcome impact from the bench with a beautiful lofted finish raising the roof at Park View Road as we pick up a late point.


October 2018
National League South

The FA Cup ensured an incredibly busy month of football but non the less it was a positive one for the Wings. Having started the month so poorly the finest cup competition in the country kick-started an impressive run of form which see's us thankfully re-enter the hunt for promotion. I can breathe slightly easier for now.



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